Medical Cannabis in the UK: Understanding the Landscape and What Patients Need to Know
Introduction In the United Kingdom, medical cannabis has become an increasingly prominent topic of discussion among healthcare professionals, patients, policymakers, and the general public alike. Since the rescheduling of certain cannabis-based medicinal products in November 2018, the conversation has shifted from whether these treatments have a place in medicine to how they can be accessed responsibly and equitably. What Is Medical Cannabis? Medical cannabis refers to cannabis-based products that are prescribed by a licensed specialist physician for the treatment of specific medical conditions. These products differ significantly from recreational cannabis in terms of regulation, quality control, standardisation, and the nature of their use. In the UK, medical cannabis prescriptions are currently limited to a small number of conditions where evidence supports their use. These include certain forms of epilepsy that are resistant to conventional treatment, nausea and vomiting caused ...